Posts Tagged ‘fusion’

Home to Indy for the weekend always means lots of food, food and more food. My mom is usually cooking and Andrew and I always stop by one of our favorite spots. This weekend was no different. On Saturday Andrew and I grabbed a late lunch with my sister and her fiancé at La Chinita Poblana, a fusion taqueria in Broad Ripple.

Now everyone knows how much I love a good taco. Second to Andrew, it’s my definitely most committed relationship. Something I am extremely proud of. Sorry, Andrew! So the fact that I hadn’t tried this Indy spot was surprising. Nonetheless I was excited to try the Mexican-Asian hybrids, which I had heard about through many an Indy-folk.

I started with a hibiscus iced tea that was punchy and refreshing. It matched the vibe of the neon walls in the standing-only joint. While waiting for our tacos we shared guacamole. The guacamole was traditional… good, but nothing new or different. The chips, however, were thicker than most and had a lovely dose of salt. A nice change of pace compared to more typical super-thin varieties.

Within 10 minutes our tacos arrived and unlike the familiar guacamole, these tacos were nothing like your average Mexican fare. Between Andrew and I, we shared the pork carnitas, chicken and tilapia. The carnitas had just the right amount of crispy edges and juicy pork. Pickled onions added a vinegary bite, a taco topping I always appreciate. The chicken was smothered in a sweet chile-de-arbol salsa and marinated in tamarind and cumin… definitely a far cry from a traditional chicken. Finally the tilapia, my personal favorite, was blackened with yellow curry and finished with chipotle mayo and pickled cabbage. It had just the right level of heat + creaminess + pickled perfection. An impressive taco, I must say.

La Chinita Poblana has all of the elements I admire in a taqueria: no-fuss decor, bold, delicious flavors and lots of napkins. For an easy lunch or quick dinner, it’s a great choice for Hoosier taco-lovers. Just don’t expect a seat!